Vers. 2. But I will bring the Altar into distresse: and there shall be heaui∣nesse and sorrow; and it shall be vnto mee like an Altar.
I Thinke that the letter Ʋau, should bee ta∣ken here for a particle aduersatiue; as if he should say, Yet will I execute my iudgements vpon you, and will auenge my quarrell, al∣though it seeme for a time, that in thus spa∣ring of you, I am at one with you. In the next place hee threatens them with sorrow and la∣mentation, in stead of their festiual daies. Some thinke the word sorrow to bee an adiectiue: but I am not of their mind; for it is taken in the same sense in the Lamentati••ns of Iere∣miah, Chap. 2.5. The Prophet shewes then that the Lord will bring this Citie into such distresse, that the Iewes shall well perceiue they haue not to do with men, but with God: so that howsoeuer the Assyrians made war vp∣on them, yet they should know to their cost, that God was their chiefe Commander and Captaine.
Where hee addes, that it shall bee to him like Ariel, it cannot agree to the Temple on∣lie: for his meaning is, that the Citie and all shall be sprinckled with the slaughter which the enemies shall make in Ierusalem; which he compares to an altar, whereupon beasts are slaine to be sacrificed: for as oft as the wicked are destinated to destructiō, the Pro∣phets compare the same to a sacrifice. In a word, in that he alludes thus to the altar, he affirmes that the whole Citie shall bee like Ariel, because it shal ouerflow with the blood of the slaine. Whence it is manifest enough, that an outward profession of Gods worship, together with the externall ceremonies and tokens of his fauourable presence are to lit∣tle purpose, vnlesse a francke and cheerefull obedience be ioyned therewith. And thus in taunting the hypocrits (who prophanely pre∣sented their beasts in sacrifice to God, as if by such meanes they thought to appease his anger) he saith, that all their labour is lost: for hauing polluted the Temple & the Altar, he telles them that none can sacrifice rightly vnto God, but in killing and sacrificing those that were appointed to the slaughter tho∣rowout the Citie; as if he should say, You shall be murthered and killed in euerie place. He calles this sacrifice a violent slaughter, by an improper phrase of speech; because they refused to offer themselues willingly vnto God.